Defence Minister Bill Blair faced tough questions from the Commons public accounts committee Thursday, denying that his department "shovels" taxpayer dollars to consultants. However, he refused to support a blanket ban on insider contracting, despite MPs' concerns about conflicts of interest.Blacklock's Reporter said the committee's recommendation to ban insider contracting was prompted by the case of David Yeo, a Department of National Defence employee who made millions as a defence contractor through his company, Dalian Enterprises Inc. Yeo resigned and his company was suspended as a federal contractor.Conservative MP Larry Brock asked Blair how many millions of taxpayer funds had been paid to consultants, to which Blair replied, "We don't shovel taxpayer dollars to anyone." However, he acknowledged that federal agencies spend an average of $21.6 billion a year on consultants.Blair argued that a blanket ban on insider contracting would not be practical, citing a "spectrum of potential conflicts of interest" depending on the position and services provided. However, MPs from various parties expressed concerns about the lack of oversight and mismanagement within the government.Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné described the issue as "chronic" and "a shame," suggesting that ministers may not even be aware of what is happening within their departments.
